DUMAGUETE CITY (PNA) – Operatives of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) have seized an assault rifle with a sniper scope, three magazines, and thousands of bullets in the premises of a sugar mill in Santa Catalina town, Negros Oriental province.
The items were recovered in another area of the sugar mill on Monday evening, March 27, during the fourth day of the continuous implementation of a search warrant at the HDJ Bayawan Agri-venture Corp. in Sitio Tolong, Barangay Caranoche, a report from the Joint Task Force Negros said.
The series of raids, which started on Friday, March 24, was carried out by virtue of a search warrant for violations of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act that was issued by Judge Allan Francisco Garciano of Mandaue City.
The search warrant’s subject is former Negros Oriental Gov. Pryde Henry Teves, the president of the company that owns the sugar mill.
Among the confiscated items were 359 rounds for caliber 9mm, 114 rounds for caliber 5.7x28mm, 100 rounds for caliber .380, 149 rounds for caliber .25, 76 rounds for caliber 5.56mm, 852 rounds for caliber 7.62mm, 42 fired cartridges for caliber 9mm, one fired cartridge for caliber 5.56mm, one rifle bag, and one travel bag.
In the previous days, the CIDG-led search yielded several firearms, explosives, and ammunition that were recovered in separate areas in the sugar mill compound.
CIDG chief legal officer Col. Thomas Valmonte earlier said the operation was not connected to the mass shooting that resulted in the deaths of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others with 17 others wounded last March 4 at the governor’s residential compound in Pamplona town, Negros Oriental
The search is in line with the agency's program to go after illegal and loose firearms, he said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division leadership lauded the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, for providing support to the PNP in its law enforcement operation in Central Visayas.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines in Negros is firm on its commitment to the people. We are serious in our mandate to uphold the rule of law and to maintain public order and safety in this part of the country,” Brig. Gen. Marion Sison, JTF and 3rd ID commander, said in a media release.